Farmers' federation backs new laws mandating rollover bars on quad bikes
Australia’s farmers have offered strong support for federal government moves to improve the safety of ATVs or quad bikes, backing new laws to fit rollover bars after a “horrific” death and injury toll.
A 57-year-old NSW man died on Saturday in a crash near Bega after he lost control of his bike and rolled several times.
And at Laidley, west of Brisbane, a man was taken to hospital with an ankle injury in another crash on a private property.
The National Farmers’ Federation believes the new safety devices, which will become mandatory on all new bikes from October, will help save lives.
But Australia’s peak automotive body, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, does not agree and has urged the government to reconsider the new regulations, arguing there is a lack of data to support safety claims.
NFF spokesman Ben Rogers said the organisation believed the government’s proposals were a “sensible middle ground”.
“On the one hand there’s the safety risk, but on the other hand there’s the risk of overregulation and making them impossible to be used or generally unavailable,” he said.
“We recognise quad bikes are an important vehicle. We want to continue to have use of them.
“But we have to be realistic that there is a serious safety risk here. If it’s not addressed in some way shape or form, some more drastic measures are going to be taken, either by work, health and safety regulators or the federal government banning them.”
The chamber does not support fitting rollover bars and wants a tougher approach to training and helmet compliance.
It has also warned the rules could result in major overseas manufacturers abandoning the Australian market.
Quad bike accidents claim an average of 16 lives in Australia each year. By mid-December the death toll in 2020 was 21. About half of those were the result of rollovers, figures compiled by Safe Work Australia show.
In 2019 the federal government revamped regulations and since October last year manufacturers have had to ensure all vehicles meet either European or US safety standards and include a rollover warning label.
From October they must meet stricter stability rules and be fitted with a rollover bar.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said the purpose of a rollover bar is to hold the quad bike off the ground, helping to protect the rider from being crushed or pinned.
Two devices have been suggested and while the cost could go as high as about $800 this is not considered an issue for the industry because bikes retail for between $12,000 and $25,000.
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries has pointed to a study by US vehicle safety company Dynamic Research which found the risk of injury from the rollover bars was equal, and in some circumstances greater, than the safety benefits.
The NFF said that study had been strongly criticised and many more backed the benefits of rollover bars.
Federal assistant treasurer Michael Sukkar said the government remained committed to improving the safety of quad bikes.